Afghanistan Highway Collision: At Least 50 Dead After Fuel Tanker, 2 Buses Collide In Ghazni Province

At least 50 people have been killed in eastern Afghanistan after two buses and a fuel tanker crashed on to each other Sunday in Ghazni province. The accident occurred on the main highway linking the capital, Kabul, to the southern city of Kandahar, according to the Associated Press (AP).

Jawed Salangi, spokesman for the governor of eastern Ghazni province, said 73 passengers were critically wounded, AP reported. Salangi also said that “up to 52” people, including women and children, died in the crash. The accident was reportedly blamed on reckless driving.

“The buses caught fire after the crash and most of the injured people are in a critical condition,” Salangi said, according to Afghanistan’s Tolo News.

Police officials in Ghazni’s Muqur district, where the crash occurred, reportedly said they are investigating the cause of the accident.

Road accidents are common in the South Asian country, where roads are mostly poorly maintained and traffic laws are not often enforced, according to reports.